A Library Miscellany

Description

What can be found in the Vatican's Secret Archive? How many books did Charles Darwin's library aboard the Beagle hold? Which library is home to a colony of bats? Bursting with potted histories, quirky facts and enlightening lists, this book explores every aspect of the library, celebrating not only these remarkable institutions but also the individuals behind their awe-inspiring collections. From the ancient library at Alexandria to the Library of Congress in Washington DC, A Library Miscellany explores institutions both old and new, from the university library to that of the humble village. It opens the door to unusual collections such as herbaria, art libraries, magic libraries and even the library of smells, and charts the difficulties of cataloguing books deemed to be subversive, heretical, libellous or obscene. Packed with unusual facts and statistics, this is the perfect volume for library enthusiasts, bibliophiles and readers everywhere.

Claire Cock-Starkey is a writer and editor of non-fiction books, including 'Bodleianalia' (2016) and 'Famous Last Words' (2016).

'The only thing more fun than reading this book would have been compiling it. It's a total delight.' * Daily News * 'There is so much detail and information packed into this little book. it may be diminutive in size but it holds a wealth of information. ... I thoroughly enjoyed it.' * lindasbookbag.com blog * "This lovely little volume, "A Library Miscellany", explores all sorts of library trivia about libraries all over the world, past, present, future ... Every page holds engagingly written facts and anecdotes interesting, curious, or even startling, and you'll find yourself absorbed in disovery as you wander from one entry to another. It is like browsing a little mini-library in itself.' * Manhattan Book Review *